Reed-organ



W. A. COOK.

REED ORGAN.

1,383,289. APPLICATICN FILED JAN-17, i920- Patented 5 v 2 SHEHS-SHEET I.

S-vwewtoz W. A. COOK.

REED ORGAN.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 11, 1920. 1,383,289. P nt dluly 5, 1921.

mums-sum lavweM-toz MWemM 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM AUGUSTUSCOOK, ammo-1mm, NEW YORK.

5: Rees-Deere.

Application filed January 17, 1920. Serial No. 352,178.

To all whom it mag concern Be it known that I, VILLIAM AUGUSTUS Coon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Reed-Organs and I do herebydeclarethe following to be a full,clear and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to reed organs and is particularly applicable to pneumatically operated self-playing organs controlled by a perforated note sheet.

Reed organs have been heretofore rela tively unsatisfactory as musical instruments, largely because ofthe thinness of the tones and lack of volume. In other words, such' organs have depended upon a single reed for each tone with the result that the music produced has not been pleasing to the average ear. This is particularly true of reed organs of the self-playing class and they have, therefore, met with very limited demand in the trade. I 3 I The object of the present invention is to provide an organ capable of producing a large volume of tone which is of a pleasing charactenbecause of the blending of sound produced by'aplurality of reeds, tuned to vibrate inunison. I

A further object ofthe invention is the provision of an "organ embodying a novel arrangement of the reeds and provided with an amplifier andmeans for readily controllingthe volume of tone. 1 i

Further objects and advantages reside in various combinations, as will be apparent by reference to the'following-specification and the accompanying drawing in which I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention. if r In the drawings, Q 7

Figure 1 is a transverse section through the organ; 1 b

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the organ illustrating the banks of reed boxes; i

Fig. 3 is 'anenlargeddetailof a-reed box and the controlling means therefor; and Fig. {.t is a detail in section of the-reed boxes for the larger reeds pertaining to thebase octave of the organ. 1 7

Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates a suitable case which may be varied in form,

t, on pivots 8.

being-adapted to house the mechanism and having a key-board support 6 projecting from the front thereof to protect the keys 7 which are ofusual form and are supported Above the keyboard support, the case is recessed to receive rolls 9 on which the note sheet is wound. The driving mechanism for the rolls maybe of any suitable character well known in the art and is consequently not illustrated in the drawing, it being understood that the note sheet 10 passes from one roll to theother over a tracker-board 11, having the usual passages 12 therein which are connected by tubes 13 to the valve cases 14:. The valves withinthe cases 14c control the operating pneumatics 15 and may be ofany usual form and construction.- As is usual in player mechanisms, when the perforation in the note sheet passes the corresponding passage 12 in thetrackerboard, air is permitted to enter through the corresponding valve in thevalve case '14: and the actuating pneumatic isthus connected to -the exhaust and is collapsed, while the perforation continues to pass the trackerboard. The necessary suction is maintained by a bellows 16 disposed in the lower part of the case 5 and connected-to a pair of treadles 17 by flexible cables 18 which pass over pulleys '19 and are secured to the front board ofthe bellows. Obviously other forms of connection may .be employed. A spring 20 tends to collapse the bellows and when the spring is flea-ed through the-actuation of the treadles-17, the bellows withdraws air from an equalizer 21 which is normally expanded by a spring 22. Theair withdrawn passes through outlets 23 controlled by flap valves 24: and as the bellows is collapsed by the spring 20, the-air escapes through outlets 25 controlled by flap valves 26. As the "back board of the equalizer is hinged at. 27, the vacuum maintained therein is controlled by the spring 22 and when the suction is increased the back board swingsforwardly thus reducing the capacity ofthe equalizer. If the treadlesare actuated more slowly, the sp'ring'22 expands the equalizer, increasing its volume capacity and thus tending to maintain a constant suction;

Behind the operating pneumatics 15, I provide a plurality of reeds, each arranged in a suitable box and disposed one above the other to form a bank, it being understood that all ofthe reeds in-each bank are Patented July 5, 1921.

tuned to vibrate in unison. Thus a single bank is provided for each note which the organ is intended to produce. The boxes 28 are each provided with a diapl ragm or reed support 29, having an opening 30 in which the reed 31 is adapted to vibrate. Above the reed is a partition 32, having anopening 33 therein which is controlled by a pallet 3a hinged at 35 to the partition. Each of the pallets 342 in a single bank, is connected to an o ieratingrod which passes downwardly and rests upon a lever 37, a spring 38 being disposed between the lowest box and a collar 39 on the rod 36 to normally hold the covers 34. in closed position. Each lever 37 is pivotally supported in a bracket l0 and is connected by a stem il to one of the operating pneumatics 15. Thus, when an operating pneumatic is col.- lapsed, the corresponding rod 36 is actuated and each of the pallets 34: which are connected thereto, are lifted. Obviously when the organ in operation, a number of the rods 36 may be actuated simultaneously in accordance with the perforations on the note sheet and the corresponding pallets 34 are opened and closed as the music pro- ,c resses.

he reed boxes are closed above the pallets 3 l to provide air chambers which are normally closed by hinged swells L2 preferably provided with dampers 43 of felt or other suitable material. Each of the swells L2 has a plurality of perfo ations 44:,CO1'1'Q spending to the respective air chambers and air is admitted through the perforations and passes, when the pallets 34; are opened, through the reed boxes and into vertical conduits 4115 communicating with the reed boxes, beneath the reeds, and with a wind chest 46, which, in turn communicates with the equalizer 21. Obviously the production of a given tone depends upon the passage of air across the corresponding reeds in the reed boxes and air is permitted to pass only when the actuating pneumatic has lifted the pallets 34:. hen the pallets are lifted all of'the reeds of a single bank vibrate in unison. and are simultaneously actuated to produce a blended tone of large volume.

To permit control, of the volume of tone for loud and soft effects. the hinged swells 42 are each provided with an arm 47 which is. in turn connected to a link 4L8. The link secured to one arm of a bell. crank lever 419 pivoted within the case, the other arm. being connected to a rod 50 extending to the front of the organ and having an operating knob or handle 51 secured to its end. The rod may be actuated by a pneumatic. Thus the operator is able to control thepositions of theswells 42' and vary the volume of tone. 7

The heavy reeds constituting the lower octave are housed in separate reed boxes 52 which are arranged across the rear of the casing Each reed box provides a support 53 for a reed 54E behind the opening 55 through which the air passes from an air chamber 56 to a passage 57 and thence to the wind chest 46. Air is admitted to the air chamber through an opening 58 which is controlled by a pallet 59 hinged at 60 and actuated by a rod 61 and lever 62 pivoted on a bracket 63. The levers 62 are controlled by corresponding" actuating pneumatics 15. A. spring 6i surrounds each of the rods 61, being; disposed between an abutment on the reed box and collar 65. The springs 6& hold the pallets closed except when the latter are raised by the actuating pneumatics l5, An opening 66 above each of the reed boxes 52 is normally closed by a swell 67 preferably provided with a damper 68 of felt, or other suitable material, and having an opening 69 therein through which air may pass. To permit control of the volume of tone,the swell 67 is connected by a rod 70 to one arm of a bell crank 71, the other arm of which is connected to a rod 72 extending to the front of the organ and being provided with a knob or operating handle 7 3. Thus the operator is enabled to lift the swell 67 and increase or diminish the volume of tone emitted.

iibove the reed boxes and within the easing- 5, I provide an amplifier 7 4 preferably of the form illustrated in the drawing and having a reduced neck 75 and a bell shaped mouth 7 6, the latter being controlled by a shutter 77 which may be actuated in any suitable manner. A sheet of thin fabric 7 3 which permits the escape of sound waves and the entrance of air is preferably stretched across the rear of the case 5 in front of the amplifier 74 and prevents the entrance of dust to the mechanism. The direction of sound and of the air entering the reed boxes is illustrated in the drawing by the solid and dotted arrows respectively.

It is sometimes desirable to actuate the organ manually and accordingly the keys 7 are each engaged with levers 79 pivoted on brackets 80 and havingends 81 which rest on the levers 37 and 62. By depressing the keys 7 the lovers 37 and 62 may be actuated at will and independently of the pneumatics 15 which are connected to the levers 37 and 62 so as to perform their function without interfering with movement of the lovers when actuated by the keys 7.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that I have perfected an organ embodying many novel features and particularly an arrangement of reeds to vibrate in unison and produce a blended tone of considerable volume. As compared with reed organs of the common and well known types, my improved organ is adapted to produce a much more pleasing tone-and the volume is suilicient to permit its use successfully in relatively large rooms. The volume may,

however, be controlled so that the organ isadapted for smaller rooms by simple manipulation of the dampers as described. The tone produced by the reeds vibrating in unison is not to be compared with that produced by a single reed since the metallic quality of the reed tone is materially reduced or practically eliminated.

Various changes may obviously be made in the form, arrangement and construction of the parts without departing from the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

I claim:

1. In a reed organ, the combination of a plurality of vertical banks of reeds, means for inducingthe passage of air through the reeds, means for controlling the passage of air through the individual banks of reeds, a plurality of swells each controlling the volume of tone from a plurality of reeds, and means for manually and simultaneously adjustably actuating the swells.

2. In a reed organ, the combination oi a plurality of vertical banks of reeds, means for inducing the passage of air through the reeds, means for controlling the passage of air through the individual banks of reeds, a plurality of swells each controlling the volume of tone from a plurality of reeds, means :for manually and simultaneously adj ustably actuating the swells, an amplifier through which the sound is directed from the organ, and a damper in the throat of the amplifier.

3. In a reed organ, the combination of a casing providing a reed compartment, a plurality of vertical banks of reeds within the compartment, means for inducing the passage of air through the reeds, means for controlling the passage of air through the individual banks of reeds, a plurality of swells each controlling the volume of tone from a plurality of reeds, means for manually and simultaneously adjustably actuating the swells, an amplifier with a reduced neck communicating with the reed compartment, and a bell mouth through which the sound is directed from the organ.

4. In a reed organ, the combination of a plurality of vertical banks of reeds, means for inducing the passage of air through the reeds, means for controlling the passage of air through the individual banks of reeds, a plurality of swells each extending over openings through which the sound issues from aplurality of reeds, and means for manually and simultaneously adjustably actuating the swells.

5. In a reed organ, the combination of a plurality of vertical banks of. reeds, means for inducing the passage of air through the ,reeds, means for controlling the passage of air through the individual banks of reeds, a plurality of swells each extending over openings through which the sound issues from a plurality of reeds, and means for manually and simultaneously adjustably actuating the swells, including connecting means between the swells and a rod extending to the front of the organ whereby the swells are actuated.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WVILLIAM AUGUSTUS COOK. 

